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close| Location | Armenia, Ararat |
| Central coordinates | 44o 54.50' East 40o 1.94' North |
| IBA criteria | A1, A3, B2 |
| Area | 24,422 ha |
| Altitude | 1,102 - 2,966m |
| Year of IBA assessment | 2008 |
Ornithological information At least 156 species have been recorded and 76 of these have been proved to breed. An outstanding site for raptors, with at least 21 species breeding and three possibly breeding, including Aquila chrysaetos, A. pomarina, Circaetus gallicus, Accipiter brevipes and, uniquely in Armenia, a small relict population of Aegolius funereus. A colony of Apus melba in Azat Gorge numbers some 2,000 birds. Among other breeding birds are Dendrocopos medius, Oenanthe hispanica, Monticola saxatilis, M. solitarius and Bucanetes githagineus.
Site description The Khosrov Reserve lies in a central part of southern Armenia. The terrain is rather complicated. The entire area is typically alpine, densely traversed by primary and side-gorges, high plateaus and inter-montane depressions, massive towering mountain ranges, volcanic expanses and isolated mountain peaks. Two alpine rivers, the Azat and Verdi, with tributaries and a small lake (0.3 ha) are within the IBA. The area extends over four landscape zones: desert/semi-desert, mountain steppe, woodland, and alpine and subalpine meadows, though much valuable high-altitude habitat (meadow steppe on plateaus and rocky areas) lies outside the reserve.
Populations of IBA trigger species
| Species | Season | Period | Population estimate | Quality of estimate | IBA Criteria | IUCN Category |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Caspian Snowcock Tetraogallus caspius | resident | - | 2-3 breeding pairs | - | A3, B2 | Least Concern |
| Chukar Alectoris chukar | breeding | - | 300 breeding pairs | - | B2 | Least Concern |
| Lammergeier Gypaetus barbatus | resident | - | 3 breeding pairs | - | B2 | Least Concern |
| Egyptian Vulture Neophron percnopterus | breeding | - | 5-6 breeding pairs | - | A1, B2 | Endangered |
| Griffon Vulture Gyps fulvus | resident | - | 15-20 breeding pairs | - | B2 | Least Concern |
| Cinereous Vulture Aegypius monachus | resident | - | 7-9 breeding pairs | - | A1, B2 | Near Threatened |
| Long-legged Buzzard Buteo rufinus | resident | - | 4-5 breeding pairs | - | B2 | Least Concern |
| Common Scops-owl Otus scops | breeding | - | 50-60 breeding pairs | - | B2 | Least Concern |
| Eurasian Eagle-owl Bubo bubo | resident | - | 7-10 breeding pairs | - | B2 | Least Concern |
| European Bee-eater Merops apiaster | breeding | - | 200-300 breeding pairs | - | B2 | Least Concern |
| Yellow-billed Chough Pyrrhocorax graculus | resident | - | present [units unknown] | - | A3 | Least Concern |
| Eastern Rock-nuthatch Sitta tephronota | resident | - | 60-70 breeding pairs | - | A3 | Least Concern |
| Wallcreeper Tichodroma muraria | breeding | - | 2-4 breeding pairs | - | A3 | Least Concern |
| Blue Rock-thrush Monticola solitarius | breeding | - | 30-35 breeding pairs | - | B2 | Least Concern |
| Alpine Accentor Prunella collaris | resident | - | 5-7 breeding pairs | - | A3 | Least Concern |
Protected areas
| Protected area | Designation | Area (ha) | Relationship with IBA | Overlap with IBA (ha) | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Khosrov | State Reserve | 29,196 | protected area contains site | 24,422 |
|
Habitats
| IUCN habitat | Habitat detail | Extent (% of site) |
|---|---|---|
| Forest | Wooded steppe | - |
| Grassland | Alpine, subalpine and boreal grassland | - |
| Desert | Semidesert | - |
| Wetlands (inland) | Rivers and streams; Standing freshwater | - |
Land use
| Land-use | Extent (% of site) |
|---|---|
| hunting | - |
| nature conservation and research | minor |
| tourism/recreation | minor |
Management considerations Fingers of grazing land 200-500 m wide and 1-5 km long penetrate into the reserve territory and herds are regularly driven through the reserve from adjacent farms. Until recently, there was hay- making and the collecting of fruit and seeds of edible, decorative and medicinal plants. Serious damage to the flora and fauna is caused by villagers resident in the reserve. There is also some poaching. The construction of tourist facilities, roads running through the reserve and the lack of a buffer zone are further causes for concern. A hydroelectric power-station, planned for a site on the Azat river within the reserve, would, it is believed, have a very detrimental affect on Khosrov and its wildlife.
Protection status National High International None29,196 ha of IBA covered by Strict Nature Reserve (Zapovednik) (Khosrov, 29,196 ha).
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Recommended citation BirdLife International (2013) Important Bird Areas factsheet: Khosrov Reserve. Downloaded from http://www.birdlife.org on 20/06/2013
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